Unidentified Purple Object

For the last week or so I have noticed these purple objects hanging in trees.The first time I saw one I thought it was a kid's kite that was caught in the tree, but a few miles later there was another one.  I figured they were placed to kill off the black flies or something.  

After finally getting out of my car to take a picture of the purple structure, I discovered a little card on the base of the tree.  The card told me it was for the Emerald Ash Borer Survey.  I know all my readers will be surprised by this, but understanding the science of ecology is not a strength of mine.  My mind went, "Ash Borer what?"  

Thank goodness for the color purple and the word emerald in this survey that kept me interested.  Apparently, the beetles like the violet colors too and that is why these traps are constructed from purple plastic panels and then covered in insect glue.  

Here is a picture of the Emerald Ash Borer, the focus of the project.  

Without using any scientific jargon here, the Emerald Ash Borer looks shiny and pretty but I don't think we are supposed to like it.  They are a threat to various ash trees.  The pests can travel hundreds of miles by hitchhiking on firewood to new locations and destroy trees.  

In wrapping up my research on the Unidentified Purple Object, if you are going camping this summer, buy your firewood where you will be burning it and make sure it is local.